Thought a book thread might be a good place to report in on what folks are reading these days.. Maybe there was already a thread but I could not find one. I am always looking for a recommendation on a good book..

I just picked up NO Easy Day, the Navy Seal perspective/account on the Osama Bin Laden kill. So far can't seem to put it down, good read.

Any body else reading this? I am only on page 50 so don't give away the ending...

-Colossus by Michael Hiltzik, which is about the construction of the Hoover Dam;

-Endurance, Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. Title says it all. I've heard of Shackleton's voyage and knew pretty much what happened and how it all went, but hearing it told through and through just puts it on a whole different level. Those guys were

Finally,
-Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. I'm glad I'm done with this one because it was a sad and upsetting book and I think put me in a bad mood for a few days, especially near the end. Really nice book to tie all the stories together, though, of Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Geronimo, Custer and his last stand at Little Bighorn, and many other tribes, chiefs, army commanders and politicians of the time.

Today I started Why the West Rules, For Now by Ian Morris. Promises to be a good book. I think on the level of Collapse by Jared Diamond. Soon I hope to listen to Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond as well. Pretty good way to spend my 40 minute to hour-long commute I think. Maybe I'll be as smart as DaveinDenver someday

Audel's Automotive Guide from 1972. I believe it was a trade school textbook for auto mechanics. The guy I bought my 40 from was a retired mechanic and thought I would enjoy it. He was right.

Since audiobooks count, I'm waiting for the 5th installment of Dan Carlon's Wrath of the Khans. It's the history audiobook of the Khans and their influence on... Pretty much everything that has happened since.

Now that my commute is 27 miles each way, Jacki has been getting me audio books out of the library...so far I've listened to:

-Colossus by Michael Hiltzik, which is about the construction of the Hoover Dam;

-Endurance, Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. Title says it all. I've heard of Shackleton's voyage and knew pretty much what happened and how it all went, but hearing it told through and through just puts it on a whole different level. Those guys were

Finally,

-Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. I'm glad I'm done with this one because it was a sad and upsetting book and I think put me in a bad mood for a few days, especially near the end. Really nice book to tie all the stories together, though, of Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Geronimo, Custer and his last stand at Little Bighorn, and many other tribes, chiefs, army commanders and politicians of the time.

Today I started Why the West Rules, For Now by Ian Morris. Promises to be a good book. I think on the level of Collapse by Jared Diamond. Soon I hope to listen to Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond as well. Pretty good way to spend my 40 minute to hour-long commute I think. Maybe I'll be as smart as DaveinDenver someday

These books were all good picks.

My commute is now 13 miles each way, 30-35 minutes, but enough to get through a chapter or 2 each way.

I then listened to Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond and was actually disappointed. For having won a Pulitzer Price for that book, I thought Why the West Rules, For Now by Ian Morris was a lot better written. However, the first book was written in the mid-90s and I think the second one is a lot more current, so that could account for the difference.

Listening to Eisenhower: The White House Years by Jim Newton right now. It's a very thorough account, by my reckoning. Pretty good stuff to see where we were as a nation 60 years ago.

Dark Waters (The Expedition Trilogy, Book 1) by Jason Lewis - This book/trilogy/story has me completely hooked. First human-powered circumnavigation of the world. The British humor makes for a good read. Cannot wait to read The Seed Buried Deep and cannot wait until the 3rd and final book is written to hear the rest of the story. Exploration and maps makes for a good read in my world.